What started as a routine training camp competition in Green Bay has quickly turned into a public back-and-forth between Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon and head coach Matt LaFleur.
Now, former Packers All-Pro offensive tackle David Bakhtiari has weighed in, and his comments were anything but subtle.
David Bakhtiari Weighs In on Keisean Nixon-Matt LaFleur Feud
Nixon expressed frustration with his role during training camp, saying he felt like he was being “punished” by having to compete for a starting job.
LaFleur did not appear interested in giving the complaint much weight. “He loves making a headline, doesn’t he? The way I look at it is this: I guess our whole team is being punished, because everybody is in competition,” LaFleur said.
The Packers coach’s message was straightforward: Nobody is guaranteed a starting job, regardless of their past accomplishments.
Bakhtiari then joined the discussion on X, responding to fans pointing out Nixon’s struggles during practice. “Man. Either Packers Twitter has it out for Keisean Nixon, or boy is getting cooked at TC like well-done steak.” Bakhtiari said.
That led another fan to argue that Nixon’s confidence may be tied to his past success as a return specialist and his desire to be viewed as a No. 1 cornerback.
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Bakhtiari appeared to draw a distinction between Nixon’s business decisions and the question of whether his play has earned him the top cornerback role. “Trying to get paid. Respect the business decision. Don’t respect the body of work for CB1,” he added.
Nixon took on a larger role last season following Jaire Alexander’s departure. He started all 17 games in 2025 and earned his first Pro Bowl selection as an alternate, finishing with 72 tackles, one interception, and 17 passes defensed, tied for sixth in the NFL.
Still, his season wasn’t without issues. Nixon faced criticism for penalties and missed tackles and allowed a 105.1 passer rating on 87 targets. Nixon’s 74.3 PFN CB Impact Grade ranked out at #68 for the year.
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The Packers have also added more competition at cornerback, signing Benjamin St-Juste to a two-year, $10 million deal and selecting South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Carrington Valentine, who has 30 career starts, is also competing for playing time.
With multiple players competing, LaFleur’s decision to make Nixon earn his role is hardly surprising.
Nixon will now have to prove his case on the field. Whether he can turn the competition into a starting job remains one of Green Bay’s biggest defensive storylines heading into the 2026 season.
